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Cytokine release syndrome: inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines as a solution for reducing COVID-19 mortality Volume 31, numéro 3, September 2020

Illustrations


  • Figure 1

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Auteurs
1 Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran, Iran
2 School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3 Wellman Center for Photomedicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 40 Blossom Street, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
4 Laser Research Centre, Faculty of Health Science, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein 2028, South Africa
5 Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Boston, MA, 02114, USA
6 Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
* Correspondence: Nima Rezaei, Research Center for Immunodeficiencies, Children's Medical Center Hospital, Dr. Qarib St, Keshavarz Blvd, Tehran 14194, Iran

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) reached pandemic proportions at the beginning of 2020 and continues to be a worldwide concern. End organ damage and acute respiratory distress syndrome are the leading causes of death in severely or critically ill patients. The elevated cytokine levels in severe patients in comparison with mildly affected patients suggest that cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurs in the severe form of the disease. In this paper, the significant role of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, and their mechanism of action in the CRS cascade is explained. Potential therapeutic approaches involving anti-IL-6 and anti-TNF-alpha antibodies to fight COVID-19 and reduce mortality rate in severe cases are also discussed.